Improvement in hubs for wagon-wheels



- Pn'rnivuf FFGE.

SIMEON ATIIA, OF WEST LIBERTY, OHIO.

` IMPROVEMENT IN HUBS FOR WAGQNWHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,295, datedSeptember 26, 1871.

To all lwhom 'it 'may concern: v v

Beit known that I, SnvrEoN ATHA, of West l Liberty, in the county ofLogan andl State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHubs for Wagon-Wheels and I do herel by declare the following to be afull and correct description ofthe same, suiicientto enable othersskilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understandand construct the same, reference being hadV to the accompanying drawingwhich Vmakes part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is aside `elevation of a central vertical section of my improved hub. Fig.2is a side elevation of the wooden part of the same, and

Fig. 3 is a similar elevation of the metal cover plate their bevelededges are contiguous andform one solid wooden ring, which is heldbetween the side flanges of the cover.

In the drawing, A may represent the wooden part of my improved hub,consisting 'of a perfectly straight wooden cylinder, provided at asuitable distance from its ends with openings `b extending from theperiphery to the center opening f for the axle, linto which openings biit the lower square ends cof the spokes (l. Above these ends c thespokes are beveled and wider, forming shoulders, as shown at d. Drepresents the two ends of a metal cover iitting closely over the woodenhub A, and connected to each other by a plate, c, which is provided withopenings g to correspond with openings b of the woodenhub iianges Erising fromthe parts D, where they connect F'with the plate e and extendupwardly to near the place where the spokes sepi arate. This metalcover, as shown in Fig. 3, I cast or otherwise form .in one piece. Theseveral parts being prepared as described, the hub A, which may beprovided with a cap, B, is passed into the metal cover until theopenings b g are in line and the spokes driven in between the iianges E.It will be readily understood that when the hub is in proper placewithin the cover all the wood is covered by the metal cover, and thatwhen thespokes are driven in the space between the iianges E is alsocompletely iilled, so that no dust or dirt can accumulate in the hub.The ends c of the spokes pass through openings g oi' theconnecting-plate c into the corresponding openings b of the hub, theirshoulders d resting on the plate e, their beveled edges contiguous toeach other, as shown at c, iorming a solid wooden rin gheld iirmlybetween theiiangesE. Itis an established fact that a hub in which thespokes are contiguous to each other is much stronger and consequentlymore durable than a hub into which the spokes are driven withoutsupporting each other, and at the same time it is desirable to have theends of the spokes extend through the hub. My improvement accomplishesthese desideratums, and by the use of the metal cover, completelyinclosing the wooden hub, I am not only enabled to make a much smallerand neater hub of the same required strength, but the splitting of thewooden part of the hub is entirely obviated, and by use of flatconnectingplates there is a great advantage obtained over any othermanner of constructin g hubs for wheels, as it will be seen that whendriving in the spokes their shoulders will carry down thoseconnecting-plates close against the wooden hub, and they will also givedown and press more iirmly to the wooden hub when the tire is shrunk onthe wheel. By this it will be seen that the connecting-plates and thewooden hub are held rmly together, and, by the use of rivets or boltspassing through the iianges and between the spokes, that neither thespokes nor plates can start or move from the hub; and by the metal coverover the entire surface of the wooden hub a neat and substantial hub isproduced. The point cap may be formed on and with the cover, if desired,but I prefer to make it separate and apply it in the usual manner, asshown.

There are various forms of metal constructions used with wooden hubs,but there are none where the wooden portion ot' a wheel-hub iset'fectually and entirely covered and protected by a metal cover formedin one piece and provided with side ilanges which allow the bevelededges of the spokes to be contiguous, as herein described; nor are thereany with connecting-plates that will give down and press to the Woodenhub by the shoulders ofthe spokes, as herein shown zuid described.

Having thus described my invention, what I clitiln as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The hub for carriage or Wagon-Wheels constructed of the Wooden portion Ab, metal cover D with anges E, and thin connecting-plates e, all formedin one piece, the plates e held so as to firmly press against the Woodenhub by reason of their elasticity, and through the shoulders of thespokes, as herein described.

SIMEON ATHA.

Witnesses:

R. N. JORDAN, J ENNIE JORDAN.

